Lucky
by maxifabulous
Summary: Fantasy World AU. Lucky (Y. Bakura) is a magical being, fabled to bring luck to who ever possesses one of his kind. In an attempt to save the prince's kingdom from a plague, he is traded to a terrifying beast who guards the magical portal Prince Yugi seeks, to be his slave for all of time. But surprisingly, it's not as terrible as he feared... (Psychoshipping; Rating info inside)


**Summary** : Fantasy World AU. Lucky (Y. Bakura) is a magical being, fabled to bring luck to who ever possesses one of his kind. In an attempt to save the prince's kingdom from a plague, he is traded to a terrifying beast who guards the magical portal Prince Yugi seeks, to be his slave for all of time. But what starts out as the worst moment of his life, might just turn out to be the best. (Psychoshipping, see rating info inside)

 **WARNING** : This story is rated M for mature themes involving fantasy scenarios, some violence, side character death, mentions of slavery, sexual themes, some minor swearing every once in a while, and the occasional cruelty of nasty people to the protagonist when he faces tough situations. Please read with discretion.

 **Disclaimer** : Yu-Gi-Oh! and all of its characters © Kazuki Takahashi. This is a fan fiction, and no money is being made off of this story. Please support the original artist.

 **Note** : This story is an AU, a very fantasy world alternate universe that focuses on Yami Bakura as the main character, featuring many of Yu-Gi-Oh! DM's characters in roles throughout the story. It was a fun attempt to take the characters we know and love and portray them in a completely different world, and I hope you enjoy discovering each character as I put them in. And of course, I hope you enjoy the fantasy monster AU psychoshipping, because it is very fun to do. Have fun, and thanks for reading!

-o-

 **Chapter One**

-o-

"There, in the clearing ahead," General Taylor whispered. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly with one hand, and my shoulder with the other. "Move." At his command, the entire procession moved forward through the trees. The sky above us darkened the closer we drew to the barrier, tinted an angry reddish purple by the swirling clouds.

"How do you know we will succeed?"

I turned to see who had spoken, and caught sight of the prince cringing with each step he took. He trailed just behind the general and me, surrounded by his honor guard. Even now, with the dread of certain death that waited for us up ahead, he clung to his bravery and did not falter or cry. It tore me up inside, just thinking about it.

 _If we don't succeed, if we don't keep him alive…_ my thoughts trailed off, and my lips tightened in a grimace. _Then we lose everything._

"Fear not, Prince Yugi," the general forced a smile. "We have one of the Lucky with us. We will get you safely to the barrier."

His wide purple eyes darted to my face, and he smiled at me with such gratitude, it made me feel ashamed. "Yes," he whispered. "Thank you, Lucky."

I swallowed the dry lump in my throat, and found I could not speak. Why even bother thanking me? I wasn't given a choice to go or stay. When the Prince decided to undertake this expedition, I was taken along like a possession. _But I'm used to that by now,_ I thought angrily. I was one of the "Lucky", a rare and elusive magical clan with feline ears and tail. Legend held that if you possessed one of these beings, they would grant you good luck, even should they come to death's door.

The reality was that we were seen as less than human because of our ears and tails, kept as pets or slaves and carted around like trophies. _It's just a myth. I'm here for morale, and because I don't have a choice. If it was anyone but him, I wouldn't want to be here at all. But here am I, giving him false hope for good luck that I can't even grant._ I looked away with a scowl, ashamed to look at the prince's face.

We'd only been friends for a short time, but he was my first one. The first human who ever treated me like a real person, and not an object or a belonging. He was the last person I wanted to lie to, but all I could do was look away and hope beyond hope that we weren't all walking to our doom.

"Sir!" one of the scouts came hurrying toward us from the clearing, his face as white as the moon. "The monster… he has come!"

"So soon?" the general paled. He turned and motioned to the soldiers behind us. "Quickly, there's no time to lose. We must draw the monster off so that it doesn't reach the prince before he gets to the barrier!"

Around us they leapt into action. Soldiers moved and vanished before our very eyes, separating into groups and proceeding forward in different directions. The prince watched them go, crying silently and waving to each of them and mouthing his thanks. We all knew they were rushing to their deaths for him.

The general turned me to face him, and pulled the prince close. He took his hand and placed it in mine, and then looked into my eyes with grave intensity. "Whatever you do, you must not let go of his hand unless it is the only way to save his life," he ordered.

The prince shuddered, his fingers clasping over my hand tighter. "Tristan," he whimpered.

General Taylor did not look away from me, his gaze hard. He had never trusted me the way that the prince had, to him, I was just a tool he was forced to use. "Promise me, Lucky. Promise me that you will see him safely to the barrier, no matter what."

A chill went down my spine, and I nodded once. "I promise," I said, finding my voice. My fingers tightened around Prince Yugi's hand, though I wanted to snarl at the general. I didn't like promising something I wasn't sure I could do. I didn't like promising anything at all.

"Then come with me," he said, straightening and leading the way through the trees. We followed, our steps silent, and our hearts beating loudly in our ears. I could hear nothing but the sounds that our small party made. It was just us, sneaking ever forward, hoping that those who went ahead could buy us enough time.

And that the legends about my kind really were true.

"I see it," the prince whispered a few minutes later. We had come to the clearing, and could see the swirling vortex of darkness located in the center of it. It looked dark and sinister to my eyes and senses, a fearsome thing that made my every reflex scream at me to run. But when he saw it, hope lit in his eyes once more. "We've made it," he smiled. "We really made it."

"Not yet," Tristan scowled. "Carefully now, let us make our way to it. Lucky, don't let go."

I gripped his hand tighter, and though I walked toward the barrier at their pace, my ears began to flatten to my head. Going toward that monstrosity was the last thing I wanted to do. Unbidden, memories of my mother rushed into my mind. I'd tried so hard to forget those times—the fear, the pain of growing up in captivity and abused by cruel people just because of what we were—but her words were burned into my memory. " _Always listen to your senses when they warn you of danger, my son. It is a gift of our kind, and they will always save you from death."_

Death. We were walking toward death.

"No, wait," I stammered, halting and pulling the prince to a stop beside me. General Taylor whirled to glare at me furiously.

"We must hurry!" he hissed. "We don't have much time! The monster could be coming this way right now."

"Lucky," the prince said softly. I could tell by his tone that he was pleading with me, even though he only spoke the name that he had given me.

"You don't understand," I snarled back. My whole body was shuddering. "That thing is evil, it's certain death! We can't send the prince into it. Something isn't right."

"I'm terrified too," Yugi said. He raised his free hand and touched my cheek, staring into my face with determined eyes that shone like stars. They were full of strength, hope, and selflessness. "I know that it's dangerous. Legend says that all who go through the barrier go to their deaths, if the monster does not kill them first. But it also says that if you are allowed passage, you will reach your destination unharmed. Don't you see? I have to have faith. My people need me to go; if I don't, we are all dead anyway."

"No," I whispered.

He shook his head. "This portal can take me anywhere in space or time. Only one of royal blood can travel it, that is why it feels dangerous to you. I can stop the plague. I have to try."

Shuddering again, all I could do was nod. Reluctantly, I allowed him to begin walking toward it again, his hand pulling me with him. Dread washed over me, but I had nothing more I could say. _I'm going to lose him. I'm going to lose my only friend._

We stopped when we came to the edge of it, staring into the endless void, and saw that it was like a great chasm had opened up underneath it. The barrier stretched from as far in the sky as we could see, and down into the depths of the earth. Just being near it sapped my strength, and I felt terrified. Tristan's face was just as pale as mine.

Then, something else, something far more dangerous, was there.

It felt a giant wave crashing into me. His presence slammed into my senses with painful fire, and my body convulsed with shudders too violent to control. Shivering head to toe, I turned my head to the side, dreading what I would see.

It was the monster. He stood ten feet away, towering over us. His skin was like dark, burnt caramel, and his hands bore giant claws. Two great, leathery wings sprouted from his back, but they were folded casually behind him. On his head were two great ram's horns protruding from his lion's mane of dark gold hair, black in color, and his eyes shimmered a reflective, pale color, like silver with a tint of purple.

This was the horrid monster of legend, who killed all who came near the barrier without mercy. He was the one appointed to guard the gate to other worlds, to never let anyone draw near to it. They said no one who met him came back alive. I gripped the prince's hand so tightly, he gasped under his breath. But I couldn't control myself. _I can't decide what death I would prefer,_ I thought. _The vortex of doom, or the claws of the beast!_

It looked at the three of us, observing us with cold eyes. Then it tilted its head and smiled. A horrible, jagged-toothed smile it was, too. Chilled me to the bone. " _ **Well?"**_ it asked. " _ **Aren't you going to go in?"**_

I cried out in pain, lifting my free hand to hold my head involuntarily. His voice rattled inside my skull like a painful bashing gong, tearing at my nerves and making me feel raw from the inside out. Vaguely, I remembered my mother telling me that there were some creatures in this world that were older than us, who used telepathy to speak. " _Telepathic Voice is very strong,"_ she had said. " _To normal humans, it would feel very uncomfortable to hear, but to us, whose senses are heightened because of our gifts, it would be very painful."_

It looked like she was right.

Tristan drew his sword, and it wavered in the air as he trembled. "Stay back," he ordered. "We have an important mission. The prince must go through the barrier!"

The monster smirked, stretching his wings lazily. " _ **I'm not stopping you,"**_ he said, his Telepathic Voice again causing me pain. " _ **If the deaths of your men could not dissuade you from it, then by all means: step through to your doom."**_

"Please," the prince cried out, placing his free hand over his chest. Though I sank into a trembling crouch by his feet, he did not let go of me, almost as though he meant to protect me. "My people are dying from a plague that an evil magician cast on us. He was the only one who could stop it, but he killed himself, and died laughing. Now the only way that I can save us from turning into stone one by one, is by going through the barrier and stopping him from placing the curse. It's the only way."

" _ **Didn't I say you could go through?"**_ the beast taunted. Each word tore at my nerves, making me cower lower and lower. I could barely stand it. " _ **Go ahead."**_

"Please," the prince said, dropping his voice. "I am of royal descent. I have the blood of the Akhenaten—and with it I can see things that others cannot. I know that you have closed the barrier. If I go through, I will be torn to shreds."

The monster said nothing, but his face changed, reflecting a shrewd and calculating expression. He seemed to be studying him with new perspective,

"Please," he repeated.

Suddenly the monster spread his wings, and the wind picked up around us. His face darkened with anger. " _ **I think not,"**_ he growled. " _ **I know the line of Akhenaten. It was he who tore this hole through the dimensions, and it is I who guard it. I prevent those who would destroy the world through abusing its power. Never in my lifetime have I allowed anyone through, and neither will I allow you."**_

He raised his hand, spreading his claws, and magic began to grow in his palm. I recognized it as a disintegration spell, and my reflexes kicking in. Just before it could shoot toward us, I sprang into the air with all my strength, yanking the prince with me, and landed in the safety of the trees behind us. It was just in time. The spell engulfed the space we had occupied, turning Tristan to dust before our eyes.

"NO!" the prince cried out in horror, clutching his chest with tears streaming down his eyes. I knew that his general had been more than just a member of his army, he had been a friend. But then, Prince Yugi considered and treated everyone as a friend. He was different. Different from anyone else.

 _I won't let him come to harm. I won't!_

I didn't wait to see what the monster was doing—I could feel it with my senses, his thundering steps as he walked toward us—I ran, dodging and pulling the prince with me in a winding circle. Every time I began to make progress away from the monster and the horrible vortex, another blast from his hand would force me to turn aside. We ended up in the midst of the trees, the reddish fog surrounding us.

We paused behind a fallen tree, panting and shuddering, cowering behind it to catch our breath. I listened intently, trying to see if we'd lost him, and fearing that he was just waiting for us to get up so he could fire at us again.

" _ **Now this is very interesting,"**_ the voice of the monster attacked my senses again, and I cringed against the fallen tree in shudders. I couldn't see him, but I knew he was walking toward us at a leisurely pace. " _ **I have never come across anyone who could avoid all of my spells. One or two times, maybe. But every time? That's quite impressive. Just what are you, young prince?"**_ The monster paused, taking time to ponder his words. " _ **No, it's not you, is it prince? What is that creature you keep with you? The cowering one. That is the one that is saving you from my spells. It's not human, I can tell."**_

He was drawing too close to us. In just a moment, he'd be right on top of us. "Quietly," I whispered to Yugi, ignoring the pain in my head. He nodded, showing he understood, and squeezed my hand once. Regardless of how intense the sound of the monster's Telepathic Voice in my head was, I was beginning to get a little bit used to it. I could probably function without my mind being bashed senseless by his words now. I led him quickly and quietly away from our hiding place, making a break for the distant country we'd come from. Legend said the monster never left his territory. I hoped that was true.

 _Blast!_

I had to dive sideways, the prince and I colliding and rolling on the ground uncomfortably, just as an attack landed on the ground where we would have been if I hadn't. He groaned a little bit when our bodies rolled over each other as we landed, but did not complain as I yanked him to his feet once more, and continued to run.

" _ **Again!"**_ The monster chuckled. " _ **This is most upsetting. This creature of yours is quite troublesome. Are you going to make me destroy the entire forest just to kill you?"**_

"Lucky," the prince whispered urgently. "I… I can't go any further. Please, I have to go through the portal. He's going to destroy us if I don't. You can still get to safety, you're immune to the plague. I'll distract him, you get away."

"I won't," I glared at him, my eyebrows furrowing defiantly. "I'll get you out of here. We'll find another way."

" _ **Oh how nice of you,"**_ the monster taunted. " _ **You've stopped. Have you agreed to let me kill you now?"**_ He was suddenly right in front of us, with no explanation of how he got there. He raised both his hands and pointed them at us.

I acted without thinking, leaping into the trees with the prince in my arms, just as the whole section of the forest we'd been standing in turned to dust. I landed on a free-floating section of tree, pushed off of it, and made my way down the ground safely. I was grateful, in that moment, that Prince Yugi was small in stature compared to most people. I would never have been able to carry him with my limited strength otherwise.

" _ **Fascinating,"**_ the monster chuckled. " _ **What is it? Let me get a look at it. I promise I won't kill you until then."**_

Like I was going to believe that? I hissed unhappily between my teeth and continued running, but everywhere I tried to go the monster threw a spell. I was herded into the clearing until suddenly, the vortex stood before me, and the monster was at my back. I swallowed, turning slowly until I faced him, still holding the prince in my arms. I had nowhere left to run.

"Lucky," he whispered, placing his hand on my chest right below my collarbone. His face was resolute, showing no fear. I couldn't understand him.

I swallowed, trying to gather strength from his bravery. Gritting my teeth, I lifted my head and glared at the monster, my feline pupils narrowing to mere slits in my burning yellow eyes. "Alright listen up," I yelled. My ears angled backwards in anger, and my white tail quivered from side to side behind me. "You've spent thousands of years guarding this thing, so you've probably gone a little mental. But he isn't going to use it to destroy the world! He's just going back to stop one evil magician from murdering thousands of lives for no good reason! Why won't you let him pass?"

The monster watched me, his silvery-violet eyes lighting up with excitement. He said nothing, just watched me.

"Let him pass," I yelled. "Please, I'll do anything! Just let him pass through unharmed!"

He stiffened, his eyes flashing suddenly. " _ **A trade,"**_ he said, taking a step forward. He lifted his hand and pointed at me, as though he was unable to take his eyes off of me. " _ **I will give you the right to pass through, and the ability to return to your kingdom once you have done this deed. But understand this, if you do anything else, change anything else besides this one thing, then not only will you die, but everyone in your kingdom will perish."**_

The prince nodded, relief passing over his face. "I will only do what I have said. It's a promise. What do you want in return?"

His finger still pointed at me, and his eyes glinted to match his terrifying smile. " _ **The cat,"**_ he said.

I felt my mouth drop open, and my arms went numb. Vaguely I was aware of setting the prince down, where he stood beside me with a look of uncertainty and fear.

"Something else," the prince pleaded. "Anything."

" _ **The cat,"**_ the monster repeated, growing angry. Powerful magic built up in his hands, and this time, I knew that I would not be able to dodge it. This attack would engulf the land for miles. " _ **Trade to me that cat for all time, and I will grant you the chance to change time. Or I will kill you."**_

"This isn't fair," the prince cried out, anger and frustration flickering over his face. "Please, if there's any other way!"

" _ **The cat, or death. You should be grateful I am offering you anything at all."**_

"No please…"

I cut him off. It was strange, my hands just moved on their own. With one I covered his mouth, and with the other I gripped his shoulder. I shook my head once, trying to smile at him. "I came here for you," I whispered. "When I was lost and alone, with nothing and no one to rely on, you reached out to me and gave me hope. Now it's my turn. If all your other soldiers are allowed to die for you, then let me do at least this."

"Lucky…"

"Save your kingdom," I said, letting go of him and stepping back. I placed myself between him and the monster, and took two faltering steps toward it. I got about halfway before my legs froze in terror, and I could move no more. Forcing a smile for Yugi's sake, I lifted a hand and waved.

He cringed, tears spilling silently down his cheeks, but even then kept his dignity as he turned to face the monster behind my back. "I will trade," he said, in faltering voice. "Please allow me passage."

The monster dropped his hand, sighing heavily. His voice was oddly filled with sorrow when he spoke. " _ **Very well. They way is open for you this once. But be warned, if you should stray from your path, or fail in your goal, the fate you wish to change will be much worse than it was to begin with."**_

"I understand."

" _ **Then pass."**_ An electric current shot out of him toward the vortex, and suddenly the reddish clouds vanished. The barrier shone with a blueish light like nothing I had ever seen before, and instead of the certainty of death, I felt only openness. Like a door that should have been closed, but was forever held open. It scared me almost as much, though it did not feel as evil.

The prince looked at me one last time, mouthing a thank you, and walked through. He vanished from my eyes and senses, leaving me alone with the beast. When the portal closed behind him, and silence engulfed us, I knew then that it would be the last time I ever saw him. Grief struck me, and my tail sank down to curl around my leg in despair. He was gone. Yugi was gone, the one human who had ever treated me as something more than a belonging.

The beast walked toward me slowly, not speaking, until he halted directly behind my back. I was too afraid to look at him. "Wh-what will happen to him?" I whispered, my back shuddering from the proximity of his body.

He looked down on me, and I could sense his eyes upon me. " _ **Not 'will', little cat,"**_ he said. His voice was strangely melancholy. " _ **He has stepped into the past. Whatever he was able to do has already happened now."**_

"Did he succeed?"

His giant clawed hand was suddenly draping my shoulders, and I shivered involuntarily in terror. All of my reflexes screamed at me, and my nerves were on fire. But I couldn't run or do anything but stand there, sweating and wishing I was dead. The monster was silent for a long time, but finally, he gave a great sigh and released some kind of magic spell. It constricted around my neck, tightening until it formed a seamless, golden collar that was thankfully not so tight that it would be uncomfortable, but horrible nonetheless because it was a collar. I was too filled with despair to even lift my hands to feel it.

" _ **Yes,"**_ he finally said. " _ **He succeeded."**_

He lifted me with one hand and carried me on his arm through the forest, away from the barrier, and toward the Cave of the Beast—a sprawling catacomb of caves in the rocky foothills where he lived. It seemed like the maze of tunnels went on forever, and my dread grew worse and worse by the second. When he finally came to his lair, a giant space filled with the spoils of his exploits, and a giant bed made out of dried heather and covered in furs, he set me down on the center of the bed and sat down on the large rock bench across from me.

That was when I knew that my life—if I could even call it that anymore—would never be the same. I would never be free again.

-o-o-o-o-

 _Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy it! I have chosen to write this story in first person because it is one of those stories that just would not be the same if I did not. I hope you can immerse yourself into the story and fully enjoy the experience._

 _See you next time._


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